Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has noted his believe in the future of democracy in Africa as the reason he sacrificed his personal political ambition for a second term in 2015.
The former president was speaking as a special guest of honour in the OrontoNatei Douglas Memorial Dialogue with the theme: ‘Nigeria’s Broken Electoral System: Uwais Report and Unfinished Business’ on Tuesday in Abuja.
President Jonathan, who was represented by his Personal Envoy, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, said he also “sacrificed everything that may be important to people that believe holding unto power was critical.”
“He believed in the future of Africa and that future can only be built on solid electoral processes. And he has continued through his foundation (the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation) to pursue the work of democracy, peace and development,” he said.
Jonathan commended friends and civil society activists, who organised the dialogue, for their efforts to sustain the legacy of Oronto Douglas, who was his former aide, environmental and Niger Delta rights activist, who died in 2015.
In his speech, former Senate President Ken Nnamani said he has seen that the flaws in Nigeria’s electoral system means that votes cannot count.
Nnamani, who was represented by an associate, Mohammed Bello Tukur, said the Justice Muhammed Uwais Report on Electoral Reforms has many innovations that could restore credibility and fairness to our electoral system.
“The 2019 elections also highlight a serious pathology of Nigerian elections. There is so much violence and crimes associated with elections. Political desperation makes ordinary elections to resemble wars. We spend so much on providing security, yet we continue to witness a high level of violence and electoral crimes,” he lamented.
